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Wine Recommendation
Dominus Estate
2002 Napanook(Napa Valley)
This is the little sister wine to the more famous Dominus Estate red. However, its grapes are from the same historic vineyard that the more well-known and more expensive wine has its origins.
Christian Moueix’ second wine, the Napanook from the vineyard on the western bench across from the town of Yountville, is very tight and young at this point. But one can already surmise that it will be a striking wine and at $40, much less expensive than its big brother. The wine is in perfect balance and if one holds on to it for a couple of years, it could be enjoyed for about an additional 13 years or so.
Moueix (MOO x) incidentally, is from the same family that oversees the renowned Chateaux Pétrus and Trotanoy.
The blend is 68 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 13 Cabernet Franc, 11 Merlot, 7 Petit Verdot, and 1 Malbec. The assemblage remained in French oak barrels (20 percent of which was new) for 17 months.
Reviewed March 15, 2006 by Alan Goldfarb.
The Wine
Winery: Dominus Estate |
The Reviewer
Alan Goldfarb
Alan Goldfarb has been writing about and reviewing wine for 17 years. His reviews have been published in the St. Helena Star, San Jose Mercury, San Francisco Examiner, Decanter, and Wine Enthusiast, among others. Not once has he used a point system, star system, or an iconic symbol to quantify a wine. What counts in Mr. Goldfarb’s criteria when judging a wine is: how it tastes in the glass; is it well-constructed; its food compatibility; and presence of redeeming regional attributes. |